A Choir Journey
The first words of the Rule of St. Benedict invite us to “listen with the ears of the heart.” To be truly good singers we must first listen to and then sing from the heart–our inner spirit of love. Just as love allows us to share and heal the hurts, disappointments, and sadness of our lives, so too, we may go to places of joys remembered, felt anew, and enriched by their sharing in the present. Such has been this choir’s journey from the loss of Lorraine King, their dedicated and much loved leader of many years, to finding a renewed community voice under the direction of Jane Ripley.
Lorraine King, wife of Norman King, was an accomplished and sensitive musician. She was a professional accompanist and also taught music both privately and in the school system. She dedicated most of her life’s work to liturgical music, serving for over forty years as music director of Christ the King Church until her death in 2011. Several members of the galley choir had the privilege of serving for many years in music ministry under her direction.
Gil Grossutti is a well known flute, clarinet, and saxophone musician. He had a longstanding musical career playing for professional entertainers and productions. For many years, he conducted the Windsor Light Opera orchestra and taught music at the secondary school level and as a private teacher. The choir has been so grateful to Gil for his accompanying talent and improvisiational skill.
Jane Ripley is the current director of the Gallery Choir, as well as pianist and organist at Corpus Christi Church. She has worked with many church and community choirs, but has found her work with this choir to be a particularly sacred task and marvellous gift. She is grateful for Lorraine King, who was a dear friend and fellow musician with whom she shared a similar perspective on liturgical music. Jane is profoundly aware of the power of music to express a genuine spirituality and faith and to bring people together in community. Learn more about Jane’s Music Studio.
Fr. James Roche, of Corpus Christi Church, was a vital support to the production of the choir CD, Rain Down, which in his words was made “to honour yesterday, to celebrate today, and to open new ways to praise God.”
To listen to excerpts from the Gallery Choir recording, go to: www.dol.ca under music “touching the spirit.”
